Screw driver having angularly adjustable bit



March 21 1950 H. w. CLAY 2,501,561

SCREW DRIVER HAVING ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE BIT Filed NOV. 5, 1947 IN VEN TOR. 44W 1 9. BY 1 7 W 4.5.14. W

ATT'Ys.

Patented Mar. 21, 1950 solmw nmvnn HAVING. ANGIILARLY ADJUSTABLE BIT Howard W. Clay, Rockford, 111., assignor to Heinrich Miller and Clara L. Miller, Rockford,

Ill.

Application November 3, 1947, Serial No. 783,697

This invention pertains to hand tools generally and the principles thereof are herein exemplified as embodied .in a screw driver.

A primary purpose of the invention is the pro vision of a tool having an adjustable blade or bit which will facilitate the use of the tool under adverse conditions in restricted spaces.

Another purpose is to provide for securely locking and holding the blade in the position to which it has been adjusted.

A further object is the provision of a tool which will be durable and reliable and which can be produced at a reasonable cost.

One practical embodiment of the principles of my invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawings to which reference is made in the following specification. This exemplification is purely illustrative and not restrictive in character.

Referring to said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a screwdriver constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental elevation of the tool shown in Fig. 1. v

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows in perspective the operating end of the tool with the blade unlocked in one of its adjusted positions.

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the blade adjusted to another position and Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the blade locked in the adjusted position shown in Fig. 5.

By reference to the drawings more in detail it will be observed that the tool illustrated consists essentially of a shank I provided at its operating end with a head designated generally by reference character 8. The opposite end of the shank may be equipped with a handle 9 or shaped for reception in the socket of a brace or other operating means.

The head at the operating end of the shank 1 comprises a bit ll journaled on a pintle l2 between the legs l3 of the bifurcated extremity of the shank and a ferrule I4 disposed between a shoulder l5 and a shoulder formed on the shank and spaced from the shoulder IS. The legs l3 in effect define a slot for receiving the bit at one end of the shank.

The bit II is shaped to provide a pair of oppositely extending blades [6 and I1 each designed to be operatively engaged in a standard or specially shaped kerf of a wood screw or ma.- chine screw. These blades are disposed at right 1 Claim. (Cl. 145-50 angles to each other, i. e. the end edge of blade I! extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of the shank while :the end edge of blade t6 is disposed in a plane including the longitudinal axis of the shank. The dimensions of blade time such that the blade will lie wholly within the slot 18 between the legs l3 of the shank when the bit is adjusted to the position shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

When the bit is in the adjusted position illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, with the blade H extending longitudinally from the shank, the tool may be used in the manner of an ordinary rigid screw driver. Where obstructions or confined space render such use of the tool impracticable the bit may be adjusted to the transverse position of Figs. 5 and 6, thereby presenting the blades so that the tool may be used as an angle head screwdriver. In general shoulder means 25 act between the blade I1 and the side of the shank I to positively determine the position of the blades l6 and I1 relative to the shank when the shank and blades are in the position shown in Fig. 6. If thus employed under restricted space conditions reversal of the tool by a rotation so as to present the blades for alternate engagement with the screw will enable the screw to be driven by successive short swings of the tool under conditions which without the angularity of the blades could not be met.

The sleeve or ferrule 14 previously mentioned serves to securely lock the bit in the adjusted positions of both Fig. 1 and Fig. 6. To this end the sleeve is provided with a longitudinal slot 19 of suflicient width and length to permit the passage of the blade l6 therethru during adjustment of the bit from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 5 and vice versa. When adjusted to either of said positions the bit may be locked by simply rotating the ferrule sufiiciently to disalign the slot l9 from the blade Hi.

When the bit is in the adjusted position of Fig. 4 rotation of the ferrule to the position of Fig. 1 will embrace the blade [6 within the ferrule and lock the bit against movement about its pintle. Likewise rotation of the ferrule from the position of Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 6 will present the end of the ferrule in abutting relation to the opposed faces of the bit at the points or abutment portions 2| and 22 respectively above andbelow the axis of the shank thereby locking the bit against rotative movement on its pintle. In general the points 2| and 22 are substantially flush with the shoulder 20 when the blades I6 and I! are in the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

It should be manifest that I have devised a tool having an adjustable bit which may be rigidly and securely locked in its positions of adjustment thereby providing a strong durable and practical article of exceptional utility.

I claim:

A combination screw driver comprising a shank having an end portion with a slot opening on diametrically opposite sides of the shank and through the end thereof, axially spaced opposed shoulders formed on said shank adjacent the said end thereof and defining a circumferential f one of said blades is wholly received in said slot and the other blade extends axially of the shank and a position in which both the blades are disposed transversely of the shank and said abutment portion is substantially flush with one of said spaced shoulders, transverse shoulder means formed on said bit and engageable with a side 25 of the shank for determining said last-mentioned position of the bit and a sleeve encircling said shank and having its ends disposed between and engaged with said spaced shoulders, said sleeve having a slot extending from end to end lengthwise thereof and rotatable in said groove between positions in which the slot in the sleeve is aligned withthe slot in the shank to permit movement of the blades between the above-described positions and a position in which the slot in the sleeve is out of alignment with the slot in the shank to lock the bit in said above-described positions.

HOWARD w. CLAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 573,135 Burket Dec.'15, 1896 819,181 Stenstrom May 1, 1906 1,238,300 Keppeler Aug. 28, 1917 1,616,300 Bido Feb. 1, 1927 

